Tumu (UW/R), July 9, GNA- The Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Monday said improvement in the road sector was dear to the government since that would help open up the country for faster development. He said the prudent economic policies that the government had pursued over the past years had freed resources for the execution of projects by both the central government and the district assemblies, of which the Upper West Region had its fair share.

"However, the biggest challenge we face in the region is the inability of some of the road contractors to deliver to expectation due to their low capacity to perform", he said.

"This factor has affected the upgrading work on the Wa-Tumu and Tumu-Sissili roads, as both contracts had been terminated. Alhaji Mahama made this known when he made a stopover in Tumu to inspect work on the Wa-Han-Tumu road, which had been repackaged and awarded for upgrading.

He said work was ongoing on spot improvement on the Han-Jeffisi-Tumu portion of the road at a cost of GH( 600,000, 000.00 cedis (6 billion cedis).

In the health sector, Alhaji Mahama said five semi-detached staff quarters had been constructed while four staff quarters and two rural clinics had been rehabilitated in the Sissala East District at a total cost of GH 122,000 (1.2 billion cedis). Vice President Mahama said a three-unit classroom and six unit classroom blocks with offices; stores and two seater KVIP toilets and urinals had been provided at a total cost of 3,531,506,753.00 cedis (GH( 353,150.68) for the Ghana Education Service.

In addition, eight teachers' quarters some with KVIP toilets had been constructed at a cost of 1,625,765,405.00 cedis (GH( 162,576.50).

Communities such as Lilixi, Dangi, Kong, Kowie, Sakai and Sakalo had been provided with new markets and public utilities, while Wellembelle, Bugubelle, Bujan, Kulsuo, Chalu and Tarsor would be connected to the national electricity grid soon.

Alhaji Mahama said the Tumu and Sakai small town water systems had been rehabilitated and expanded while 119 new boreholes had been provided, with six existing boreholes renewed at a total cost of 2,523,633,500.00 cedis (252,363.35 Ghana cedis) He called on beneficiary communities to maintain the facilities provided them to prolong their lifespan.